Mall
by Butterfly Harvester
Summary: Oh William.  Why do you do this to yourself?  You know taking Undertaker, Grell, and Ronald to the mall is a bad idea!


_Title: Mall_

_Summary: Oh William. Why do you do this to yourself? You know taking Undertaker, Grell, and Ronald to the mall is a bad idea!_

_Notes: After I submitted Road Rage, I had a few people ask me to do a sequel or companion piece in which William takes them to the mall. So this is for those of you who asked for it._

As William followed Ronald, Grell, and Undertaker into the large, noisy, crowded mall, he wondered exactly how he had come to agree with this. Grell had told him all three of them had behaved themselves and deserved a reward. He told them to go by themselves. Somehow, though, Grell had convinced him to join them.

He told them they would be there only an hour. Grell argued that an hour was not nearly long enough. William put his foot down, and threatened to put it on Grell's face while he was at it. Grell agreed to an hour, not willing to have his face kicked.

William knew better than to try to keep them all together. Undertaker slipped away, chuckling to himself, as soon as they walked in. Ronald at least offered a quick wave before wandering off. William stared at Grell, hoping that Grell did not decide that this was going to be a date.

Grell had stopped, one finger on his chin. He was staring into the upper level of the mall as though looking for something specific. "Ah," he said, his eyes landing on the candy store. "See you Will~" he called, rushing for the nearest escalator.

William groaned aloud. Grell was too much to handle as it was. Full of candy and sugar, he became a nightmare.

He walked along the lower levels, passing kiosks and shops that did not catch his attention. He did not go to the mall if he could help it. It was too crowded for his tastes. The smell of coffee reached him. It was coming from the nearby book shop.

He slipped inside, knowing full well that Ronald, Grell, or Undertaker would go into a book store for most reasons. He followed the scent of coffee and paid for a vanilla latte. Just as he was beginning to browse the books on display, his theory was proven wrong. Ronald, appearing from nowhere, rushed over to him, excitement written all over his face.

"You have to see what I just bought!" he said, grabbing William's arm and nearly spilling his coffee.

"What is it?" William asked, narrowing his eyes. Nothing could be _that _exciting could it?

Ronald pulled something from a page that had a picture of a bitten apple on it. It was a large, flat electronic device, somewhat similar to his music player. "It's an iPad!" Ronald said, sounding very happy with himself. "You know," he began as he switched it on and began operating the screen using his fingers, "instead of using those boring old ledgers, you should really convince management to use these instead. What flavor coffee is that?"

William blinked in surprise at Ronald's final sentence. It was so random and out of place. He looked down at the cup in his hand and said, "It's vani -"

He did not finish explaining what flavor his coffee was. By the time the first part of the word "vanilla" escaped his lips, Ronald had taken the cup from him and took a sip.

"Pretty good," Ronald said, offering William his coffee back.

William held up a hand to stop him. "You keep it," he said with disgust.

"Thanks!"

William glanced at his watch, wishing time would pass quicker than it was. "Go find Grell for me," he told Ronald. "Last time I saw him he was upstairs."

Ronald nodded, no doubt excited to show Grell his new toy. William began to walk along the mall, peering into storefronts as he wondered just where Undertaker would be. Just as he entered the food court, someone placed a hand on his shoulder. "Excuse me," the man behind him said, "I think we have something that might belong to you."

William groaned with annoyance but followed the mall security guard to the security office. He could only imagine what trouble Grell had gotten himself into.

It was not Grell he found, but Undertaker. He was sitting happily on a chair, a large tub of buttered popcorn in his lap. "People were complaining," the guard began. "He kept giggling throughout the previews. By the time the movie started, people around him wanted him gone."

"How did you know to find me?" William asked, looking down at Undertaker.

"I told them to find the uptight fellow in the suit. I guess they had no trouble finding you~" Undertaker chuckled.

William scowled, then seized the tub of popcorn and dumped it on top of Undertaker's head. Undertaker only laughed harder and began to lick at the artificial butter flavoring that dripped down his face.

"Come on," William said, grabbing the former reaper's wrist in a vice grip. He hauled Undertaker out of the security office and towards the stairs. "We're going to find Grell and go," he told Undertaker. The tone of his voice told Undertaker not to argue with him.

The first thing William saw after getting to the second floor of the mall was Ronald flirting with two girls. "Ronald," he shouted, "I told you to find Grell!"

Ronald grinned sheepishly, bade the girls good-bye, and hurried over to William and Undertaker. Shaking his head, he removed the popcorn bucket from Undertaker's head and said, "Sorry, William. I got distracted."

They began to search the upper floor. William did not have to tell Undertaker or Ronald to stay with him. He would glare at either of them if they got so much than a foot away from him. He was ready to go and they knew he would leave without them if they gave him the chance.

It was Grell who found them. "Ah, Will~ There you are~" he shouted, rushing towards them, his arms laden with bags. He stopped just in front of them, taking in William's annoyed expression and Undertaker's buttery hair. "Did I miss something fun?" he asked curiously.

"Let's go," William demanded.

Grell grabbed Ronald's arm to check his watch. "But it hasn't been an hour yet!"

"_Go!_" William hissed.

Grell heaved a heavy, dramatic sigh and followed them towards the escalator. He managed to make sure he was standing next to William on the way down. "Thanks for bringing us, Will," he began sweetly. "By the way... I bought you something."

William did not want to know what sort of thing Grell had purchased for him. As Grell began to cling to his arm, excitedly asking if William wanted to see what sort of present he had bought him, William decided he could take no more. He freed himself from the redheaded reaper and gave Grell a shove. Grell went over the side of the escalator and went tumbling, purchases and all, into the penny fountain.

At the sight of the soaking wet Shinigami, William smirked. Perhaps trips to the mall were not so bad after all. Maybe next time he would leave Grell on the carousel.


End file.
